Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant set the record straight on why he no longer associates with a former NBA champion and analyst, firing up fans and observers on social media.
Ja Morant Shuts Down Former Friend and NBA Analyst’s View of Their Friendship on Social Media
Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant is letting a former NBA champion and current network analyst know that whatever animosity they feel towards him, it’s more than mutual.
The guard addressed some comments made by ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins about him on a recent episode of his podcast, “Out The Mud,” in which the former center detailed the deterioration of their friendship.
Perkins spoke to Morant’s issues off the court and his injuries, which have led to the former No. 2 draft pick playing just 59 games in the past two seasons for Memphis.
“I was cool with Ja at one point, but then when Ja started getting in trouble with some of his stuff off the court and s*** like that, I had to speak on it,” the former Boston Celtics center said.
“Ja don’t really f*** with me no more…to be honest, in that type of situation, I don’t f*** with Ja,” Perkins continued. “I f*** with his daddy [Tee Morant], but not with Ja, and you know why? ESPN had never packed up and spent millions of dollars to go down there and do an all-access [interview] on y’all. They did that for Ja.”
Co-host Tony Allen, a former star with the Grizzlies, replied, “They ain’t do that for us.”
Perkins declared that because of his consistent praise of Morant, ESPN executives focused more on the high-flying guard. “You f*** up, not only do that make you look bad, that made me look bad,” he said. “They recognized you because of me speaking highly of you. It ain’t no coincidence you went from having 3 games on ESPN to 52.”
The clip would go viral on social media, and Morant was swift with his response. “you da reason for my notoriety perk? come on dawg . 😂 you showing em why ion fw yo kind,” wrote Morant in a post on X, quoting the clip with a laughing emoji.
you da reason for my notoriety perk? come on dawg . 😂 you showing em why ion fw yo kind . https://t.co/OpCqI8vzSo
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) October 27, 2025
Perkins has made a name for himself on ESPN for having bold takes and opinions. He has at times found himself vindicated by those opinions, such as his support of New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson as a top player in the league last season.
MORE: NBA Fans React To Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant Announcement Before Pelicans Game
However, Perkins has also shown how media personalities can overrate these opinions, having had a bit of an exchange with Brunson over “The Roommates” podcast he hosts with Knicks teammate Josh Hart. Per Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing, Perkins called it a “distraction” while Brunson brushed it off.
As far as Morant, the guard has been the driving engine behind Memphis’ success since being drafted in 2019. The seven-year pro has been a two-time All-Star and won Rookie of the Year. It’s safe to say that his notoriety was locked in the moment he arrived in the league, thanks in part to the numerous clips of his jaw-dropping dunks.
Morant currently leads the Grizzlies in scoring, netting 22 points a game to start the season. It remains to be seen if he and Perkins will resolve this public feud, but given the exchange of barbs in this manner, it won’t be any time soon.
